Luke 23:27-49

27A very large crowd of people were following Jesus. There were many women among them. They were crying with loud voices. They were weeping and crying because they were very sad.

28So Jesus turned round and he said to them, ‘You women that live in Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Instead, cry for yourselves and for your children.

29Listen! Days will come when people will say, “It is better for those women that could not have babies. Those women that never had babies to feed are the happy ones!”

30People will begin to say, “It would be better if we were dead.” They will ask the mountains to fall on top of them. They will ask the hills to cover them up.

31There is much trouble and pain now. But much worse things will happen! Now the fire burns slowly. But soon it will be like a fire that quickly burns dry wood!’

32The soldiers also took two other men out of the prison. These men had done bad things. The soldiers would kill them and Jesus together.

33They took them to the place that is called ‘The Skull’. There they fixed Jesus to a cross to die. They also fixed the two bad men to crosses. One of these men was on the right side of Jesus. The other was on his left side.

34Jesus said, ‘Father, these people do not know what they are doing. So please forgive them.’ The soldiers then picked up Jesus' clothes for themselves. They played a game to decide who would receive each piece of his clothes.

35The people stood there and they were watching. The Jewish leaders were laughing at Jesus. They said, ‘He saved other people, did he? Then he should save his own life! Then we will know that he is really the Messiah, the man that God has chosen.’

36The soldiers also laughed at him. They came up to him and they offered him cheap wine to drink.

37They said, ‘If you are really the King of the Jews, save your own life.’

38There was also a notice fixed at the top of the cross. It said, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

39One of the bad men on a cross at the side of Jesus started to insult him. He shouted, ‘You say that you are the Messiah, don't you? Then save your own life and save our lives too!’

40But the bad man on the other cross told him that he should be quiet. He said, ‘You should be more afraid of God. We will die here, as well as him.

41We two men have done very bad things. So it is right that we should die. But this man has not done anything wrong.’

42Then the man said to Jesus, ‘Remember me, Jesus, when you start to rule in your kingdom.’

43Jesus replied, ‘I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

44It was now about midday. The whole country became dark for three hours.

45The sun did not give any light. Then the curtain inside the temple tore into two parts.

46Then Jesus shouted loudly, ‘Father, I give my spirit to you.’ After he shouted this, he died.

47There was a captain of the soldiers there. When he saw what had happened, he praised God. He said. ‘I am sure that this man had not done anything wrong.’

48A very big crowd had come together to watch the men die. They saw what had happened. Then they began to go home. They were very sad, and they were hitting their own bodies with their hands.

49The friends of Jesus were there. The women that had come with him from Galilee were also there. They were all standing a long way away. They also saw what happened to him.